At Meijer, we strongly believe in supporting the local communities we serve, and this extends to the local farmers and growers in those areas. Buying locally-grown produce is a business practice that began when founder Hendrik Meijer opened the first Meijer store more than 80 years ago. As Meijer continues to expand across the Midwest, our commitment to purchasing local produce has also grown.
Meijer works with more than 125 local growers – up 25 percent during the past two years alone – within our six-state footprint. This commitment has made Meijer one of the largest purchasers of many fruits and vegetables in the Midwest, with an economic impact of nearly $100 million annually.
We believe that buying local produce is the right thing to do, and it’s also what our customers expect and deserve. By purchasing local, Meijer is not only able to cut fuel consumption, which is good for the environment, but also help reduce transportation costs and keep fresh produce prices down for our customers. Our local growers are held to the same high Meijer standards of all of our growers, ensuring only the best product for our customers.
As Meijer continues to grow across the Midwest with 11 new stores this year, we will continue to seek partnerships with local growers.
To view a video highlighting the Meijer locally-grown program, please click here.